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ASD Staff

Daily Smile

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Smile 26 7 1

<title>Daily Smile: Wednesday, July 1, 2026</title>

We'll take this over the World Cup...

Daily Smile: Wednesday, July 1, 2026

 We&#039;ll take this over the World Cup...

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawai‘i History

Columnists

In its original conception in the 1960s, the H3 highway was to pass through Moanalua Valley, with another tunnel to be bored through Maunakapu and the Ko‘olau Range. Plans for the six-lane highway, meant to ease traffic buildup on the Pali and Likelike Highways, became entangled in a decade-long dispute leading all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The State Department of Transportation promised a scenic highway that would open up the privately held lands and, at the same time, would coordinate with the landowners to develop a historic and botanical park in the valley. While many people who claimed to be authorities on the subject said that Moanalua Valley held little archaeological or historical importance, one woman spent her lifetime recording extensive oral histories of the valley.

As early as 1902, Gertrude MacKinnon Damon kept a diary of interviews with the people whose families had been stewards of the valley, including Nāmakahelu Makaena, a kumu hula who passed on the mo‘olelo of Moanalua. The Damon family, who have lived in the valley since 1890, created the Moanalua Gardens Foundation and, by using extensive oral histories and enlisting help from conservationists, residents, cultural practitioners, and the general public, kept the plans for H3 tied up in court for nearly a decade. Finally, in a 1976 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an appeals court injunction. The Court effectively stopped the original H3 construction through Moanalua Valley when it ruled that the Department of Transportation had failed to adequately prove there were no feasible alternative routes to Windward O‘ahu.

Despite testimony that Moanalua was of little importance to Hawai‘i and her people, this sacred valley is rich in history and legend. The Moanalua ahupua‘a extends from the ridges of the Ko‘olau Mountain Range down to Āliamanu and Āliapa‘akai, through Māpunapuna to the Honolulu Airport and industrial center to Māmala Bay. One of the most sacred wahi pana within this area is Leilono.

Located on the northern side of the famous hill of Kapūkakī, now known as Red Hill, this entrance to the afterworld was in line with the burial hill of Āliamanu, where O‘ahu’s ali‘i were buried. There at the portal to the underworld stood he ‘ulu o Leiwalo, a breadfruit tree of Leiwalo. A soul would climb the tree and, from one of its two branches, would leap into pō pau ʻole, the everlasting night. However, these branches were deceiving. If a spirit was lacking an ‘aumakua and climbed onto a branch on the western side of the tree, the branch withered at once and broke off, and the spirit would plunge down into a pit of darkness. But if he climbed the other, it would bring help from ‘aumakua, and the soul would see his ancestors in the afterworld from time immemorial.

Moanalua was also the site of intense battles. In the 1780s, Kahekili, the ali‘i of Maui, attacked O‘ahu. Kahahana was the ali‘i of O‘ahu at the time, and after evading Kahekili’s warriors for two years, he was finally caught and killed. After his death, a plot was laid to kill all the ali‘i from Maui, but someone warned them, and the attack was unsuccessful. In retaliation, Kahekili and his warriors massacred all opposition and their families.

Kalaikoa, an ali‘i from Maui, built a long house and named it Kauwalua. He stripped the bones of his enemies, bound them together, and set them up inside and all around the outside of the house. The gruesome sight of this hale iwi, house of bones, stood at Lapakea on the slope into Moanalua and was visible from the shore. A housing development was built over this site, just below Tripler Army Hospital.

In a 1972 interview, Hawaii’s Living Treasure, Dr. Rubellite Johnson, shared a tale of night marchers who came down from the top of Moanalua.

Rudolph Tai, a patriarch of the Mormon Church in Hawai‘i, used to live in the old Damon Tract housing, which is now the airport industrial park. One night, he heard the ghost army approaching from the uppermost part of Moanalua. He could hear their chants, and as they grew closer, he could even hear the hiss of their burning torches as the night marchers made their way toward the sea. For two long hours, Rudolph Tai held his hands over his ears, trying to keep the sound of the ghostly procession out, until the chants and the marching slowly faded away.

But at the same time, Dr. Johnson said, the late watch on a small ship that was anchored in Pearl Harbor recorded in his log a curious event. From midnight until 2 a.m., the man saw a string of torches moving slowly from the top of Moanalua Valley, winding toward the sea where they disappeared.

There are dozens of haunting stories throughout Moanalua, including the high school, stores in Mapunapuna, and businesses in the airport industrial center. My own story took place at Moanalua Gardens.

As we were preparing for a hula festival, our kumu held practice at the gardens a few days before the event. On the way to practice one afternoon, I came across a Hawaiian woman in the parking lot wrapping cords of olonā on a spool. She sat on a chair propped up against the hedges while people walked past her without any acknowledgment.

As I started to pass her, we made eye contact, and she asked me, “Pahi? You get pahi?”

[{"type":"text","text":"She was asking if I had a knife."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"“ʻAe,” I replied, “Loaʻa ka pahi.” Yes, I have a knife."}]

I removed a small knife from my pocket and showed it to her. She pulled a cord taught in front of her and nodded. I opened my knife and cut the olonā cord in the place she wanted.

She seemed relieved when she thanked me and went back to wrapping the olonā on her spool.

When I met with my kumu, I explained what happened, and he immediately pulled out his own pocketknife.

“When you go back out to the parking lot after hula, she’s going to ask you to cut the olonā again. Instead of using your own knife,” my kumu instructed, “Use mine.”

He took my knife and placed his own in my hand. Nothing more was said, and we proceeded with our hula instructions for the day. After three hours, the lessons were done, and I made my way back to the parking lot. Just as my kumu said, the Hawaiian woman was still there, winding her olonā on a spool. And just as my kumu said, the woman again asked me to cut a cord of her plant fiber.

Using the knife he gave me, I cut the olonā without incident, but instead of being thankful, the woman scoffed and spat on the ground.

She gathered her olonā fibers and her spool and walked off into the park. I watched her walk right past the security guard who was telling people that the park was closed. He didn’t even glance in her direction, and I wondered if he even saw her.

As soon as I got home, my kumu called and asked about the woman. I told him exactly what happened and asked why he gave me his knife to use.

My kumu explained that the woman was a mo‘o wahine, a very kolohe one. He said that once I used my knife to cut the woman’s cord, it became dull. If I tried to use it again to cut her olonā, it would not have worked. Then, she would have asked me to do something else.

“Whatever that something else was,” he said, “It would lead to another task, then another, until finally, it would cost you your life. Especially now, since you’re under hula kapu.”

The lesson learned that day was that even while in the process of spiritual education on the middle path, there will always be someone or something that will try to lead you astray.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Moanalua Gardens

<title>Moanalua’s Haunting History</title>

If an old Hawaiian woman asks you to cut a cord for her in Moanalua Valley, be very, very careful what you do next. That's just once of the eerie tales of this part of O‘ahu where many battles have raged, from the invasion of Kahekili from Maui to the dispute over the route of H3.

Moanalua’s Haunting History

De Soto 2025

DeSoto Brown

Aloha Tower has reached the venerable age of 100 years. It no longer is a focal point of the city of Honolulu, but it was once. And in fact that was what it was intentionally built to be.

As early as 1915 it was recognized that Honolulu Harbor was in need of improvements. The mix of miscellaneous docks, some covered by warehouses while others were completely open, was inefficient and often unsightly. Many business people also understood the desirability of adding a distinctive, prominent structure to the harbor to catch the attention of the increasing numbers of leisure visitors to Hawai‘i. Such a building would serve as a recognizable landmark that could be publicized in both print and in photographs. This idea would come true as Aloha Tower.

By the early 1920s, construction began on the complex of Piers 8, 9, and 10 and by the time Aloha Tower's base was being prepared in 1925, a debate occurred over the planned height of the tower. Two reasons were put forth to increase it; first, because the nearby Hawaiian Electric power plant erected a second smokestack of 214 feet which it was feared would overshadow the tower, and second, the clock faces on the tower were too low to be seen from a distance. For a time an increase of 36 feet, or three stories, was actively pushed. In the end, however, only 12 feet was authorized, making the finished Aloha Tower 185 feet and 6 inches tall; with its spire included it surpassed 200 feet. It was the highest building in the Hawaiian Islands.

At the end of May 1926, Piers 8, 9, and 10, along with Aloha Tower, were declared complete. For a cost of $165,000, Honolulu now could boast of a building of 12 stories served by an electric elevator and containing a 7-ton time-keeping mechanism on the 10th floor that ran four separate clock faces, one on each side of the tower. On the 11th floor, above the clocks, were four separate viewing balconies for the public to marvel at the scenes of downtown Honolulu, the busy harbor and the natural beauties of the sky, the sea, and the Ko‘olau Mountains. Offices on the remaining floors were available on the rental market for commercial tenants. A flashing light at the top made the tower visible to ships far offshore at night, and a built-in siren was sounded from it at 7 a.m., one minute before 12 noon, and 4 p.m. to signal important times in the usual workday. (Later, for decades, the siren was switched to a single 8 p.m. sounding to designate a curfew for everyone under the age of 16.)

This grand new addition to Honolulu Harbor was made more attractive by the addition of Irwin Park on its mauka side, which was made possible by the demolition of other now-outmoded buildings nearby.

The parcel of 24,308 square feet of land for this green space was donated on November 7, 1930 by Helene Irwin Fagan in memory of her father, William G. Irwin, and initially was covered just by grass, shrubs and trees. But, not surprisingly, the congestion of motor vehicles that occurred every time a large passenger ship arrived or departed required the addition of space for parking, and in June 1939 Fagan gave permission for this to be placed in the park. It's still there today.

"Boat Days" were important, when big ocean liners arrived at, or departed from, Honolulu Harbor. Not only would cargo be unloaded and loaded, more importantly for the growing tourist industry, passengers would be coming or going. Usually scores of visitors would be getting off to begin vacations that usually lasted at least a few weeks, since the cost of a Hawai‘i trip was high enough that most travelers at this time were wealthy. Others on around-the-world trips would be hurried into luxury taxis or tour vehicles for sightseeing on O‘ahu along with a stop for lunch, before their vessel would depart in the late afternoon that same day. All this led to hustle & bustle at the docks, with a large and colorful part of the activity being the lei sellers who lined the sidewalks in hopes of selling all the lei that they held up. The competition could sometimes be aggressive since there was only a short period to earn income before the crowds of customers dispersed.

Originally, back in 1926, Aloha Tower and its piers had been made noticeable by a paint job of 1,900 gallons of "Egg-Shell Mill White" paint. Making the structure easy to see from offshore was the entire point of its construction, so that people on ships could spot it as they approached. But with the sudden and shocking arrival of World War II on December 7, 1941, abruptly the opposite tactic was necessary.

Japanese submarines actually were patrolling around and among the Hawaiian Islands in the first months of the war, and should one of these surface during the night, the view through a periscope of the light-colored dock buildings and the tower itself (even with a blackout of electric lighting) could lead to catastrophe if torpedoes were launched towards them. To make these (and many other important buildings) less easy to see by the enemy, camouflage paint jobs were quickly applied. The wavy outlines of brown, green and grey paint would, it was hoped, disguise sharp edges and reduce the contrast of buildings against the mountain slopes behind them.

This distinctive wartime paint job was officially made obsolete by the surrender of Japan in August 1945 which ended the war, but getting things back to normal didn't happen overnight. In fact it wasn't till April 29, 1947 that sandblasting off the camouflage colors and re-applying a light paint surface began.

The tower's makai side, the first to be finished, was completed on May 8th but work was still going on in September of that year. The entire renovation back to prewar conditions wasn't completed until the observation decks on the 11th floor were finally reopened to the public on January 1, 1948.

The success of Aloha Tower as an identifiable symbol of Hawai‘i can be seen by how often it was shown in advertising and other commercial illustrations, particularly in the 1930s. It was not just what tourists saw on their ocean arrivals and departures; more importantly, as a tall modern structure it implied that the Hawaiian Islands were up-to-date and economically advanced.

Next week, watch for the continued story of Aloha Tower and its two major redevelopment projects that both seemed like good ideas at the time, but which unfortunately didn't succeed.

1 Gals 1953 16x9

<title>Aloha Tower at 100 years old: Part 1</title>

A hundred years ago, Aloha Tower was built as an intentional landmark for the bustling harbor where all visitors to O‘ahu arrived, and that plan worked, as it quickly became synonymous with Hawai‘i itself. In part one of our look back at the tower's history, ASD history columnist DeSoto Brown takes us from the creation of the tower to just after WWII.

Aloha Tower at 100 years old: Part 1

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Food & Dining

Arts & Entertainment

This week, the United States is celebrating its semiquincentennial, or 250 years of being a nation. There are many local celebrations, including parades and events with food and live music.

The City and County of Honolulu is providing partial sponsorship for fireworks shows at 8 p.m. at Kailua Beach Park and 8:30 p.m. at Kapi‘olani Regional Park/Kūhiō Beach Park. The North Shore Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a fireworks show at 8:30 p.m. at Haleʻiwa Beach Park.

Here are some of the upcoming semiquincentennial celebrations. Items with an asterisk feature fireworks.

Eat pop-up barbecue at Wai Kai (ʻEwa Beach). 

Celebrate with hot dogs, burgers and ribs as part of a pop-up barbecue on the wave deck 

. Spend the day in the water and enter for a chance to win a full day adventure pass for two people. 

Attend the PHAMily Fun Day: Freedom to Fly (Pearl Harbor). 

Go to the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum for a day of family fun in collaboration with Hawaiʻi’s America250. The event starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. There will be opportunities to meet a 103-year-old WWII B-17 pilot,  patriotic demonstrations, live entertainment, activities for keiki including crafts and a bounce house, a vintage book sale, a photo booth and open cockpit experiences. Free popsicles will be given out to the first 250 guests. Tickets for kamaʻāina and military guests are $5 in advance or $10 at the door. 

*Visit the USS Battleship Missouri Memorial (Pearl Harbor, FIREWORKS). 

The Picnic on the Pier event is back after a six-year hiatus. Guests can gather between the USS Arizona Memorial and the Battleship Missouri —  where World War II came to an end. There will be live entertainment from Jai & The Tones, ship tours, and more. The event starts at 6 p.m. with fireworks at 9:20 p.m. Families can bring food and drinks. For security reasons, some items are not permitted, so check the list before arriving. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for keiki, if purchased in advance. 

Oʻahu Country Club will celebrate Independence Day with its annual Fourth of July Family Festival, which includes professional fireworks. The event is not open to the public, but fireworks will be visible and audible beyond the club property. The fireworks are scheduled for between 8:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. 

Party at The Gatsby Hawaiʻi (Kakaʻako). 

This party features three live bands, 12 DJs and food vendors. It starts at 8 p.m. and runs until 2 a.m. Early bird tickets are $20. 

 at 6 p.m. at Centerstage at Ala Moana Center. Hui Pu will take the stage starting at 4:30 p.m. Before the performances, attend a meet and greet with High Watah from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Hawaiʻi’s Finest at Ala Moana Center. There will be keiki activities and games, and special shopping offers. Ala Moana Center is also partnering with Blood Bank Hawaiʻi to host a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Atkinson Trolley Depot. Free. 

*Listen to Kapena + Anuhea (Waikīkī, FIREWORKS). 

Prince Waikīkī will host two nights of live Island music performances in Waikīkī. On Friday, July 3, Kapena will take the stage. On Saturday, July 4, Anuhea will perform. There will be cocktails, smoky barbecue, and fireworks on the 

, which is Prince Waikīkī’s poolside venue. 

Celebrate at Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikīkī Beach Resort (

Enjoy barbecue, including kiawe smoked ribs with guava barbecue sauce and huli huli chicken skewers along with Dole Whip cups. The event starts at 11 a.m. and runs until 9 p.m. at the resort’s Great Lawn. The featured entertainers include The Jasmine Kaleihiwa Band, Ben Kama Band, DJ Mastermind and Nesian Nine. Validated self-parking is $15. The event is open to resort guests and kamaʻāina. 

*Catch Stars, Stripes & Grindz (Waikīkī, FIREWORKS). 

Head to Waikīkī Beach Walk,which will have a live DJ and food vendors, including Joja Burgers, Cosmic Tacos, Neha's Kitchen, Chillex Pops and Sugarless Bites. There will be family friendly activities and games. The event starts at 3:30 p.m. Fireworks are scheduled for 8:30 p.m. 

Eat barbecue by the beach (Waikīkī, FIREWORKS). 

At Kaimana Beach Hotel, head to the second floor for Hau Tree inspired food and drinks. Catch a panoramic sunset on the oceanfront balcony along with beats from Aloha Got Soul's DJ O'Spliff. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. The fireworks are scheduled for 8:30 p.m. No cover. Valet is $10 per car.

Enjoy Tiki’s 4th of July Rooftop Bash (Waikīkī, FIREWORKS). 

Ditch the crowd on the beach and head upstairs to the Coconut Club, on the 21st floor of The Twin Fin Hotel. Tiki’s Grill & Bar is throwing this rooftop bash, which includes music from DJ Soulrenity and panoramic views of Waikīkī Beach. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $50. 

Head to the Decades Day Drinkin’ Pool Party (Waikīkī). 

Head to the pool atThe Ambassador Hotel of Waikīkī, Tapestry Collection by Hilton. DJ James Coles will provide music for this Decades Day Drinkinʻ Pool Party. The event starts at 1 p.m. and there will be games and barbecue. VIP cabanas are also available for $50 per person, up to four people, and include one round of drinks. Free valet parking is available for up to three hours. General admission is free. 

 at ʻAlohilani Resort Waikīkī Beach for BBQ & Beats and enjoy barbecue, a full bar, and music from a DJ. No cover. Open to guests and kamaʻāina. Food and beverages available to purchase. Self parking or valet with validation up to four hours. 

*Watch fireworks (Waikīkī, FIREWORKS). 

 are partnering with Southwest Airlines to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary with a fireworks show launched from a barge positioned 

, facing Halekulani Hotel and Moana Surfrider, 

A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikīkī Beach, at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4. Free. Details.

Head to the Mōʻiliʻili Summer Fest (Mōʻiliʻili). 

 are expected to gather to celebrate culture, cuisine and more in Mōʻiliʻili, according to permits filed with the City and County of Honolulu. Enjoy the Bon Dance, find ʻono food and shop from local retailers and artisans. Mōʻiliʻili Summer Fest is presented by the nonprofit Mōʻiliʻili Festivals with support from Kamehameha Schools and Waiānuenue at Kapaʻakea, a shopping center set to open in 2026, as well as community partners such as the Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai’i, Mō’ili’ili Community Center, and the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. Free. 

Enjoy the Hawaiʻi Kai Independence Day Market & Concert (Hawaiʻi Kai). 

Start the celebrations early at Hawaiʻi Kai Shopping Center on Friday, July 3. Catch a free concert that features 

, Hawaiian Style Band and Maunalua, as well as Henry Kapono Foundation’s On the Rise artists. Free. 

Rock the 4th with Henry Kapono and Duke’s on Sunday Band (Hawaiʻi Kai). 

This party features Henry Kapono and the Duke’s on Sunday Band at 

 on Saturday, July 4. That same evening, Nick Laʻa, a Henry Kapono Foundation Next Level Artist will be performing two shows upstairs at The Velvet Monkey. Each artist will have performances at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35 for each show. 

Celebrate with live country music, trains, and a petting zoo (Waimānalo). 

DLT Ranch is celebrating July 4 with live country music, train rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, a bounce house, sparklers and more. Tickets are $25. Keiki who are younger than 2 years old can enter free. 

Catch the Kailua 4th of July Independence Day Parade (Kailua). 

Hosted by the Kailua Chamber of Commerce, this event will have 45 vehicles, 20 floats and three bands, according to permits filed with the Department of Transportation Services. The route starts at Kainalu Dr. and Omao St. and proceeds along Kainalu Drive until it ends at Kailua Intermediate School. 

*Watch the fireworks show (Kailua, FIREWORKS). 

The City and County of Honolulu is providing partial sponsorship for a firework shows at 8 p.m. at Kailua Beach Park. Alexander & Baldwin is the event’s platinum sponsor and will provide complimentary shuttle runs from its shopping centers in Kailua Town to the beach park in 30-minute rotations, starting at 4 p.m. The event is expected to have 

, according to permits filed with the Department of Transportation Services. Free. 

Watch “The 100th, Seeds of Aloha” (Kāneʻohe and Pearl Harbor). 

 “The 100th: Seeds of Aloha” — which shares the story of the 100th Infantry Battalion unit that fought in World War II — will be featured across Oʻahu. Five of the screenings are at private retirement communities, but the film will also be shown at the First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu in Kāneʻohe on Sunday, July 5, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on Friday, July 17. 

*Listen to live music at Hukilau Marketplace (Lāʻie, FIREWORKS). 

At the entrance to the Polynesian Cultural Center is Hukilau Marketplace, which will offer live performances from Pohaku, Kawao, Johnny Suite, and Wavvy in Lāʻie. The community event starts at 4 p.m. There will be vendors with food, as well as fireworks. Free. 

The Ritz-Carlton Oʻahu, Turtle Bay is holding its annual barbecue cookout on Saturday, July 4. Enjoy Island-style barbecue made with fresh local ingredients, along with live music from Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning artists Kalae & Kalena, lawn games and family friendly activities with ocean views. There will be a fireknife performance and opportunities to hang out with goats and mini horses at The Stables. The menu includes Kahuku garlic shrimp, Kalbi short ribs, kiawe grilled bone-in ribeye, beer can chicken and spicy ʻahi poke, among other items. Tickets are $165 for adults and $75 for keiki. 

*Haleʻiwa 4th of July (Haleʻiwa, FIREWORKS). 

Enjoy food vendors, live entertainment and activities for keiki and celebrate America’s 250th anniversary at the Haleʻiwa Beach Park. The event headliner is The Elevations Hawaiʻi. The North Shore Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a fireworks show at 8:30 p.m. at Haleʻiwa Beach Park. 

Watch an aerial show, sky divers and live music at Schofield Barracks. 

The event, held at Weyand Field, includes an aerial show with skydivers, a patriotic salute and live performances from the Scooter Brown Band, the 25th Infantry Division Band, the 312th Army Band and country singer Chris Young. At 8:45 p.m., the 25th Infantry Division Band and the 312th Army Band will play the “1812 Overture” written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The fireworks show is scheduled for 9 p.m. and the event will have food vendors. The event is open to Department of Defense personnel and their guests. 

Do you know of a July 4 event not on this list? Email 

Fireworks

<title>25 things to do on Oʻahu to celebrate the semiquincentennial</title>

Looking for ways to celebrate 250 years of the United States being a nation? Aloha State Daily has compiled a list of events happening for the semiquincentennial. From ʻEwa Beach to Waimānalo, here are some of the events happening across the Island this weekend.

25 things to do on Oʻahu to celebrate the semiquincentennial

Aloha Spirit

This year on July 4, the U.S. will celebrate 250 years of being a nation. Aloha State Daily compiled a list of events celebrating the semiquincentennial on Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island.

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*Concert in the Sky (Līhuʻe, FIREWORKS). 

Enjoy live music from headliner The Green under the stars. There will be live music, ʻono food and craft vendors, a keiki zone and fireworks at the 

Vidinha Stadium Soccer Fields in Līhuʻe.

 Tickets help support Kauaʻi Hospice. If purchased in advance, tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for keiki. 

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Upcountry Maui will celebrate paniolo culture with its July Makawao Stampede and the Oskie Rice Memorial Rodeo at Kanonoulu Ranch, which is home to the Oskie Rice Arena. More than 300 competitors from across the state and country are expected to participate. The event includes three days of experiences and family friendly activities. On Friday, July 3, there will be the Bull Bash, which features professional bull riders as they take on some of the most challenging bulls in the region, as well as food trucks and more than 50 local vendors. On Saturday, July 4, attend 

rodeo events such as bull riding, double mugging, barrel racing, team roping, tie down roping, match barrel racing, and more

. Doors open at 3 p.m. and country music artist Liz West (formerly known as Lissa Dee) will perform at 5 p.m. Finally, on Sunday, June 5, go to the Championship Rodeo. Tickets for each event start at $20 which allows attendees to watch  events on a jumbotron. General admission is $45, with discounts for kūpuna and keiki. VIP experiences are also available. 

Eat barbecue by the pool (Kā’anapali). 

Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows is hosting its summer poolside barbecue series which features chef-inspired specials, cocktails and live entertainment along Kā’anapali Beach. Usually, the summer barbecue series consists of Sunday events, but for the holiday weekend, there will be island inspired barbecue specials available starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, and Sunday, July 5. 

Head to the Chili Cook-Off (Kā’anapali). 

Check out this Chili Cook-Off featuring the original creations of the Hyatt Regency Maui team, judged by Lahaina firefighters, at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa. Enjoy chili tastings, specialty cocktails, live music and lawn games while outside. During the event Proper No. Twelve, which is an Irish Whiskey company, will present a check to the Lahaina Fire Station. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 plus fees for adults and $25 plus fees for keiki. 

Enjoy the Flowerworks Festival(Kā’anapali). 

Outrigger Kā’anapali Beach Resort will host a summer celebration of flowers, food and music with its Flowerworks Festival, an all-day experience featuring family friendly activities, local artisans, live entertainment and island barbecue. There will be lawn games, a strolling magician, face painting and balloons. At 11 a.m. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters will drop a shower of fresh tropical flowers at the ʻUlu Lawn. Afterwards, learn how to weave the blooms into a lei. At 1 p.m. head to the Maui Brewing Co. lanai for a summer kick-off that includes live music, prize giveaways and craft beers, as well as the Maui Lite Release Party. Open to resort guests and kamaʻāina. 

Take the spicy wing challenge, and see the flower drop  (Kā’anapali). 

The Westin Maui Resort & Spa will hold its Annual Spicy Wing Halftime Challenge. There will also be a helicopter flower drop on the pool deck, ocean front barbecue, activities for keiki, a shave ice truck, live music by Adrian Trevino and a patriotic evening drone show, as well as late night karaoke. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Hawaiʻi Island"}]

The 62nd annual July 4th Rodeo and Horse Races returns to Parker Ranch Rodeo Arena in Waimea this year. Paniolo will compete in events that include horse races, team roping, 

 and more. There will be local vendors selling crafts and food, as well as activities for keiki including a petting zoo and pony rides. Gates open at 7:30 a.m. Events start at 9 a.m. New this year is live music in the evening, which starts at 2 p.m. and goes until 6 p.m. and features Lim Ohana, Kalapana Awa Band, and Ekolu. Tickets purchased in advance are $25, with 

presale tickets available to kamaʻāina for $20

 if purchased at the Puuopelu Historic Home, Kamuela Hardwoods, Paniolo Preservation Society, and Waimea Butcher Shop. 

The Kona Marathon will take place on Saturday, July 4. Run 26.2 miles in paradise. There are also half marathon, quarter marathon and 5K races. Register at 

*Watch the parade (Kailua-Kona, FIREWORKS).

 The Historic Kailua Village Independence Day Parade will start at 6 p.m. and follow a route along Kuakini Highway and Ali‘i Drive. This year, the theme of the parade is “America the Beautiful.” At 8 p.m., there will be a professional fireworks show called “Independence Day Extravaganza” set off from a barge located in Kailua Bay. 

Dance the night away at Jimmy Buffett’s 4th of July (Kailua-Kona). 

This Jimmy Buffett inspired beach party is heading to the Big Island Social Dance Club. The dance studio teaches ballroom, Latin, swing and nightclub dance styles. Put on a tropical costume and participate in a complimentary line dance lesson. Cheeseburgers and chips will be available for purchase. There will be a DJ and Jimmy Buffett sing alongs, as well as contests and prizes. Tickets are $20, if purchased in advance. 

Catch the 4th of July Extravaganza (Waikoloa). 

Enjoy live entertainment, activities for keiki and merchant sidewalk sales, plus shop artisan and food vendors at Queens’ Marketplace in Waikoloa. There will also be live music, as well as face painting. Free. 

articipate in the “A Salute to Our Veterans” Hilo Bay 5K Run/Walk/Roll 202 at Liliʻuokalani Gardens. The route includes stations that take attendees through 250 years of history, starting with the birth of the United States as a new nation on July 4, 1776. The event is being hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and Auxiliary 3830, Pāhoa, in partnership with Hawai'i County Parks & Recreation. Registration is $45. 

Vintage, classic and futuristic vehicles will be on display at the Hilo Bayfront Soccer Fields from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be 

live music by Rhythm X, Just Us Band, Girls Nite Out, and the Abbie Willow Band, as well as food trucks and activities for keiki, including water slides and bounce houses. Free. 

Catch a professional fireworks exhibition from a barge in Hilo Bay. The Hawaiʻi County Band will perform at 7 p.m. at the Mo‘oheau Park bandstand, concluding with music to accompany the fireworks show, which starts at 8 p.m. For those not near the bandstand, the fireworks display will be synchronized to patriotic music aired on KWXX. Free. 

 Local makers and food vendors will gather at this indoor venue to sell crafts, apparel, food, desserts and more. The event will be held at Bay Bridge in Downtown Hilo. Free. 

*Items with an asterisk include fireworks. Do you know of a July 4 event not on this list? Email 

The Westin Maui Resort & Spa

<title>How to celebrate July 4 on Kauaʻi, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island</title>

Looking for ways to celebrate the semiquincentennial of the U.S. becoming a nation this long week weekend? Aloha State Daily has you covered. From poolside barbecues to a chili cook-off, which will be judged by Lahaina firefighters, to a helicopter flower drop at the Flowerworks Festival, there are lots of events happening across the Neighbor Islands.

How to celebrate July 4 on Kauaʻi, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi promised “unprecedented enforcement” of fireworks offenses over the Independence Day weekend.

As part of the launch of Hawai‘i’s 2026 Wildfire LOOKOUT! public awareness campaign, Blangiardi urged residents to be responsible with fireworks and other celebrations over the holiday weekend to prevent the spread of fires.

“We don’t want to sound threatening, but we understand that some people just don’t get the message, no matter how hard we try,” Blangiardi said, adding that the disastrous fireworks explosion in Āliamanu that killed six people on New Year’s Day 2025 “will not happen again.”

John Bravender, meteorologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said that although this year’s El Niño conditions have been 

 to bring a “wetter-than-normal dry season” to the state, the increased winds associated with those conditions can still stir large wildfires out of small ignitions.

Honolulu Fire Department Battalion Chief Pao Chi Hwang said that fireworks mishandling is just one of many things that can trigger a blaze. Parking a car in dry grass, leaving a grill unattended, failing to properly extinguish a campfire, using heat-generating machinery — a chainsaw, a weed whacker — around dry brush, can all cause sparks that ignite dry grasses.

Blangiardi urged residents to report hazards such as overgrowth of dry grass or brush to 911 or the Honolulu Fire Department. Hwang said the HFD can send fire code inspectors to investigate potential hazards for fire code violations.

If inspectors find fire code violations, the HFD will work with the property owner or management company to mitigate the hazardous conditions, Hwang said. If they fail to correct the problem, Hwang said they can be fined up to $1,000 or imprisoned for up to one year for violating fire codes.

Nani Barretto, co-director at the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization, said “basic maintenance and good housekeeping” goes a long way in protecting your property against wildfire. She said keeping a five-foot buffer away from your home — five feet kept “lean, clean and green,” clear of plants touching the house, of leaf piles or mulch beds — can mean the difference between a home surviving and a home burning.

Residents are also advised to make plans in case of an evacuation. Randal Collins of the City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management said residents should have a go kit that includes vital documents and medications for 72 hours ready to go, and to think in advance about where their evacuation route will take them and communicate that plan with their families.

“Think ahead about the routes that you’re going to take and think about the situational awareness that you need to know when your home may be at risk,” Collins said. “Don’t be afraid to leave early. Leaving early is really important, especially when you need that extra time … you may want to leave before we even tell you to evacuate.”

Residents should sign up for emergency notifications at 

Meanwhile, Bravender said the National Weather Service has expanded its Red Flag Warnings for high wind conditions to be island-specific instead of having a single warning statewide. Residents can also stay up-to-date on fire conditions through 

Nonetheless, Bravender added, wildfires can and have occurred outside of Red Flag Warning conditions. And HFD Assistant Chief Reid Yoshida said wildfires are not just hazards in rural areas, but in any neighborhood where homes meet open land or dry vegetation.

“Preparedness is one of the most effective tools we have,” Yoshida said. “The more prepared our communities are before a wildfire starts, the safer our residents, our neighborhoods and our firefighters will be during an emergency.”

Blangiardiwildfires

<title>Blangiardi warns of 'unprecedented' fireworks enforcement amid wildfire prevention…</title>

City, state and federal agencies launched the 2026 Wildfire LOOKOUT! campaign Tuesday with advice and warnings about what to do and not do to avoid wildfires.

Blangiardi warns of 'unprecedented' fireworks enforcement amid wildfire prevention campaign

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Business & Tourism

doing away with its main cabin complimentary meals

 and moving to a pre-order, pre-paid program for in-flight meals on domestic flights between Hawaiʻi and the Mainland (except for those to JFK International Airport in New York City, which will continue to receive a complimentary meal

Guests can pre-order their in-flight meals through the Alaska Hawaiian mobile app or website two weeks in advance and up to 20 hours prior to departure.

The new main cabin menu was developed by Maui-based Sheldon Simeon, the chef/owner behind Tiffany’s Restaurant & Bar and Tin Roof Maui.

One of the most important decisions we made during this process was picking the right partner,” says 

Alisa Onishi, managing director of Hawai‘i marketing for Hawaiian Airlines

. “We were looking for a few things: a local chef that has represented Hawaiʻi well around the world in their career; someone who really aligned with our principles of featuring local products and supporting local businesses; and someone who would something warm, inviting and comforting on the aircraft. Chef Sheldon knows what it takes to make an amazing recipe and amazing dishes, and to bring those to life on an airplane.”

For in-flight meals on domestic flights between Hawaiʻi and the Mainland, guests can pre-order from a menu curated by Maui-based chef Sheldon Simeon. The menu features elevated takes on local favorites and comfort foods, and features dishes like corned beef hash and eggs, banana pancakes, teriyaki cheeseburgers, crispy mochiko chicken and garlic noodles, and more.

Daily Smile: Wednesday, July 1, 2026

ASD Staff

Reporter

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Daily Smile: Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Authors

ASD Staff

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